Wanted
by Embyr7
Summary: Continuing from Clockwork Prince. Mortmain is getting impatient, and wants Tessa - now. While Tessa tries to choose between Jem and Will, best friends and opposites, she also has to find out what she is, who her real parents are, and why she's wanted.
1. Property of TM

_Disclaimer: Cassandra Clare owns everything._

**Tessa's POV**

Cecily was standing in the room, her chin held high, her gaze much too intelligent for a fifteen year old girl. She had Will's blue eyes, if only lightened a little more.

Will stood up so abruptly that the chair he had been sitting on tipped over and clattered to the floor. Nobody seemed to notice. We were all staring, wide-eyed, at the girl who just walked in.  
"By the angels...Ceci? Is it really you?" Will breathed.

Cecily smiled a breath-taking smile – but it did not reach her eyes.

"Brother, have I really changed that much?"

Will laughed a disbelieving laugh, and walked over to embrace her tightly. Jem and I looked at each other and smiled, as Charlotte went back to her seat.

"I'm glad that they're united again," Jem said softly.

"Me, too. He has one more person in his life that he cares about now. He missed Cecily a lot, didn't he?" I grinned, looking at the siblings, who were talking now.

"He really did," Jem nodded.

I glanced over at Will and Cecily – Will was reaching over the table to butter some bread for her still talking, but she was staring straight at me. I blinked in surprise and offered her a sweet smile.

Her head suddenly jerked – as if shocked, a motion much too unnatural for a human – and she didn't smile back. There was something in her eyes that bothered me – the light blue a little too empty for a child's.

I crinkled my eyebrows and looked away as Will sat back down, offering her the bread.

Jem looked at me, his face worried.  
"Are you alright, Tessa?" he placed his hand on top of mine and searched my eyes, looking from me back to Cecily.

I smiled and nodded. "I'm fine. Just feeling a bit light-headed, is all. I think I'm going to go back to my room now. You stay here and finish dinner, alright?"

"Are you sure? I could accompany you -"

I shook my head. "I'll be alright, Jem. Really. Finish eating."

He nodded. "Feel better."

I stood up, and Will cocked a head to me, eyebrows crinkled, and I just waved him off. He continued talking to Cecily, who didn't even glance my way.

I waved to Charlotte and Henry, and told Sophie that I was going back to my room. She nodded and told me she would be there in twenty minutes to help me change into my nightgown.

I walked down the dark Institute corridors, thinking.

Thinking about Will and Jem.

Will, with his wavy black hair and dark, piercing blue eyes, pronounced jaw line, straight nose, and full lips.

Jem, with his glowing silver hair and eyes, soft face, and gentle smile.

The thought of both of them made my heart clench and flutter, and I bit my lip. I reached up and took the necklace Jem gave me out, and stared at it.

The thought of marrying Jem made me so extremely happy, yet so extremely distressed at the same time. Did I really want to marry Jem, knowing that in a few years, my heart would be broken?

And not to mention all of those moments with Will...all of those moments where we kissed, and touched, and embraced...did those mean nothing at all to me?

Of course they didn't. They meant everything to me.

But so did Jem.

I shook my head.

"Make up your mind, Tessa! You can't have both of them. It's either one or the other, and one already proposed to you, and you've said yes," I scolded myself, walking again.

I paused at my door, hand on the doorknob, looking back at the dining room.

"But something tells me that I'll never forget the other one – there's something about those midnight blue eyes that just pierce the soul," I whispered.

I slipped into my bedchamber, and took Jem's jade necklace off. I stared at it, the stone warm from my chest. I thought of Will's hurt face when I told him that I was engaged to Jem.

How he staggered back and collapsed into the chair, his face in his hands.

But most of all, I remember how he professed his love to me, the fire making his blue eyes burn with passion, his cheeks rosy, his lips saying that he's loved me from the very beginning.

I stared at my hand, which was still bandaged up. Nobody but Sophie knew about my burn, and we had been making sure to dress me in my long-sleeved gowns to cover the evidence.

I shook my head and set the pendant down.

I just didn't know what to think about anymore.

Suddenly, my door clicked open, and I looked up.

"Sophie?" I asked.

But it wasn't Sophie who walked in – it was Cecily.

"Oh!" I exclaimed, startled. "Cecily...it's nice to meet you. I'm Tessa, by the way. Tessa Gray. Will's spoken a lot about you, we're glad that a new Shadowhunter is finally here...we were getting a bit lonely..."

I trailed off as I saw she closed the door, and was just standing in my room, no expression on her face, no words coming out from her mouth.

When she had been talking to Will, her lips had been upturned into a soft smile, and she had kept up light conversation with him. Did she despise me? Did I do something to upset her?

"Cecily? Are you alright?"

I cautiously crept closer, holding a hand out.

Her mouth opened, and her head jerked unnaturally again. A spark flew out.

I crinkled my eyebrows.

A spark?

I looked closer at her hair, and it seemed to shine unnaturally. It was a little too black – a little too perfect.

"_The Magister. Has told me. Not to make light conversation. With. Tessa Gray._"

Cecily's head jerked again, and more sparks shot out.

I gasped loudly, and stifled a scream.

The Magister? Sparks? What was going on?

But then I realized.

Cecily wasn't the real Cecily.

Cecily was an automaton.

So Mortmain has found out a way to make the automatons even more realistic looking than before. So realistic that she fooled everyone – Charlotte, Jem, Henry – even Will, who had known Cecily since she was born.

The thought frightened me, and Cecily started taking jerky but swift steps towards me.

I backed up, pushed into a corner.

I shrieked, loudly.

"_Do not. Scream! The Magister. Will be very. Happy once you. Are his. You will always. Be his._" the automaton said.

I presume that he never figured out how to make his automatons work realistically for a long period of time, then, since its voice was robotic and gravelly now.

"_No_!" I screamed. "I will _never_ be his! I don't belong to anybody! I am Tessa Gray, and the Magister does not own me!"

I was tired of hearing it, and rage shot up my spine.

The automaton did not reply, but came closer. It reached out a flesh-covered hand and took some of my hair, clenching it in-between its fingers.

"_Such fine hair. The Magister. Will be pleased._" it said.

It spoke in clipped sentences, its voice coming more and more unnatural by the second.

Then, it yanked down on my hair, hard, and brought me to the ground. It slammed a hard, metal elbow down on the back of my head, and black dots swam around in the corners of my eyes.

I screamed again.

"_Will! Jem!_" I shrieked.

The automaton ripped a piece of fabric from my bed sheet, and gagged me.

"_You are. You are. You are -" _its head jerked, and it brought a hand up to its throat. After a while, it started talking normally again. "_You are only making this more difficult on yourself._"

It pulled out a knife, and knelt down beside me.

I whimpered, trying to get out from under the automaton's grip. I wriggled and squirmed, but it was no use. I couldn't get free. It was pinning me to the ground with only one hand, and it felt like I had a ton of bricks on my chest.

"_The Magister wants you back alive. But he never said. He never said unharmed_." the automaton stated.

It brought the knife down on my arm and carved out a design.

I was screaming through my gag, tears pouring down my cheeks now. I could hear shouts and pounding footsteps out in the hallway now. I kicked out with my legs, and it collided with the wall, making a loud bang, letting them know where I was.

"_Tessa_!" I heard Will shout.

The automaton looked back at the door, and quickly and jerkily walked over to it, releasing me. It pulled Cecily's long black hair off with a horrid, scratching noise, and used it as a rope to connect the doorknob to a part of my mirror so that the knob could not turn. Then it dragged the dresser over and blocked the door.

I used this time to undo the gag, and I took greedy mouthfuls of air, my corset making it hard to breathe.

"_Will! Help_ -"

I was cut off with the automaton coming in and jerking the knife down. I rolled over onto my side, trying to avoid the knife, which would have ended up in my stomach. I looked over at my left wrist – and saw that it had carved TM into it with the knife.

The Magister.

I tried to wipe it away, but all I did was smear the blood and make the cuts sting even more. The back of my head was throbbing now, and I could feel warm, sticky blood sliding down through my hair from when the blasted thing elbowed me.

I heard Will, Jem and Charlotte shouting outside, pushing on the door. I could see the hinges coming loose, the dresser moving inch by inch.

I looked around, looking for something to defend myself with. All of those lessons with Gabriel didn't go to waste, thankfully. I grabbed one of my books, which was laying on my desk, and flung it as hard as I could at the automaton's head. But it didn't even jerk. It just steadily walked closer to me, bloody knife in hand.

My heart was beating so fast I could hear it in my ears, and I was sweating in my heavy skirts. My long, thick brown hair tumbled down to the small of my back in tangled waves, and I pushed it out of my face impatiently, trying to remember what Gabriel had taught me about automatons as my head spun.

Aim for the creases in the metal.

So I grabbed a pencil and charged towards it, and plunged it into the side of its neck.

Still, it did nothing.

I cursed myself and vowed to keep a knife in one of my drawers from now on.

It grabbed me and pushed me back against the wall, holding me there by my hair. As it was pulling, the wound on my head got larger.

I sobbed in pain.

The bald head with large, light blue eyes started at me now, completely expressionless. I knew that it was going to have a starring role in my nightmares soon, and I closed my eyes.

Let it take me.

Let it take me to the Magister.

Maybe I would slip into unconsciousness and escape this pain.

Will, Jem, Charlotte and Henry would be safer without me around the institute, anyway. I slumped in defeat, my body sagging.

I felt the knife go to my arm again, the cold metal piercing my skin.

It carved out more letters, and I couldn't help but scream out in agony, even louder now. The pounding got louder and more insistent.

Finally, finally the doors burst open, and Will and Jem were the first to rush in, weapon belt around their waists.

"Tessa!" they roared together, sprinting up to the automaton. They grabbed it by its dress, and Jem pulled out a blade from his belt.

Charlotte was helping him, and Henry was fiddling with a device in his hands, standing in the doorway, his wild ginger hair sticking up everywhere.

I fell to the floor, sobbing, sticky with sweat and tears.

"Tess," Will went over to me, kneeling in front of me. "Oh, Tess..."

I looked down at my arm, and saw that the automaton had carved two more words. It now read: _Property of TM._

I shouted and tried to wipe it away, but again, the blood simply smeared over into one crimson streak, and my arm burned.

"Will!" I wailed, looking up at him. His eyes were burning with fury, concern, and passion.

"Get it off me, _please_, get if off me!"

"Tess, it's going to be alright. We have to get you out of here, there are probably more automatons outside, and they'll be attracted to the noise of a fight. Can you stand?"

I tried to get to my feet, but I was trembling too violently to hold myself up.

Will sheathed the blade he was holding and scooped me up. I hid my face in his chest, exhausted and hurting.

He looked to Jem and Charlotte, who were at my window now, looking at the rows of automatons outside of the Institute's walls.

Jem nodded.

"Go, Will. Take her someplace safe, and stay with her. We can handle this."

"Are you alright today, Jem? Have you taken enough...?"

"I can do it, Will. Go!" Jem shouted.

But I was barely listening to them.

I had removed my head from Will's chest, and all I could do was stare at the form of the now dead automaton - its bald head, its wide, gaping light blue eyes, its ripped-up dress...suddenly, my eyes went to its arm.

Because on its arm was imprinted, _Property of TM._

Just like mine.

**Hi, guys! [: I really hope you liked this chapter...this will be a multi-chap, and I'm really excited to be writing this story for you all!**

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	2. Elongated Shadows

_I had removed my head from Will's chest, and all I could do was stare at the form of the now dead automaton – its bald head, its wide, gaping eyes, its ripped up dress...suddenly, my eye went to its arm._

_Because on its arm was imprinted, Property of TM._

_Just like mine._

**Will's POV**

I ran out of the room and veered left, trying not to jostle Tessa so much.

She had tucked her head in the crook of my neck, and I felt her breathing get shallower with every second. Blood was seeping from her head to my shoulder, and I felt a warm, sticky drop slide down my chest.

I remembered to when I was little, and had slipped and hit my head on one of the Institute walls. My head was bleeding, and Sophie didn't let me sleep until hours later – she said that if I fell asleep then I might never wake up again.

Seeing that Tessa's head injury is a lot more severe than mine was, I looked down at her.

Her eyes were closed.

"Tess! Wake up," I shouted, still running towards the safe room as fast as I could, the rhythmical whir of the automatons encouraging me to keep on running.

She moaned and buried her head deeper into my neck, her hair tickling my shoulder.

"Tessa, please. You need to wake up," I said sternly.

She didn't open her eyes.

I ran down dark corridors, the torchlight elongating our shadows on the stone walls, my footsteps echoing behind us. Thanks to my Shadowhunter training, I wasn't in the least bit tired or out of breath. I could hear the muffled moaning and thumping of the automaton army coming into the Institute, and I briefly worried for Jem.

But I shook the thought away, knowing that reinforcements were coming soon.

Protect Tessa.

That was what I had to do now.

After going up several flights of stairs, I practically flung myself into the safe room. It was dark, damp, dusty, and not very nice. But it was secluded, and hidden away in shadows.

I placed Tessa down on the couch and screwed the multiple locks tight, pulling the desk over to the door, blocking it.

Tessa was slightly awake now, some light grey showing from under her lids.

"Tess, you can't sleep now. It's dangerous because of your head wound. Please," I walked over to her and brushed a bloody strand of hair out of her face.

My heart still yearned for her – I wanted to hold her in my arms and kiss her pain away. I wanted to burn that damned automaton – who I had thought was my dear sister. I wanted to – I will – hurt everybody and anybody who ever hurts Tess.

My Tess.

_But she's not yours anymore, Will. She's Jem's._

I shook the thought out of my head and grabbed a blanket from off the couch, and pressed it to Tessa's head. She winced and whimpered with pain.

"Sorry," I whispered.

Her cheeks were flushed, and I could see the hair touching her neck was slick with sweat.

"Are you too warm?" I asked, reaching out to press the back of my hand against her forehead. I felt the familiar burn of fever, and she nodded.

I looked at her thick skirts and tight corset, and was glad that I wasn't a lady. She tugged at her tight ribbons, sighing.

"I hate this," she moaned.

I hesitated, a silence stretching between us.

Finally I said, "You can take off your dress and corset and wear my shirt, if you would like."

I tried to be casual about it, but I avoided eye contact with her. I saw that her cheeks became even more pink from her blush.

It wasn't proper for a lady to undress in front of a man that wasn't her husband – let alone wear his shirt, and nothing else.

"I...no, I couldn't possibly..." Tessa trailed off, hands still tugging at her long sleeves.

"It's alright, I'll turn around," I murmured. I tossed the blanket – which was soaked through with blood, I noticed, to the other side of the room. The wound had already started scabbing over, dried blood caking her hair in that spot. But if we didn't get it wrapped up and disinfected soon, Tessa might as well die from it. She had other cuts and bruises along her body, but the one on her head was the most severe one.

I cursed myself for not thinking about stopping for bandages – but it wasn't like we had time to spare while we were running from the automatons.

I stood up and turned my back on her, and I heard her hesitate. She stood up and I could hear the fabric falling to the floor, layer by layer, dust floating around in the air as her heavy skirts picked it up from the ground as they fell. Tessa's breathing hitched as the cool air hit her skin, and I unbuttoned my white collared shirt and tossed it back to her.

I heard her catch it and slip it on, fumbling with the buttons, and she pushed the large mountain of skirts and ribbons and corset on the ground away from her.

I turned back around, and _my _breathing hitched. This was worse than the time when she had worn Jessamine's 'man clothes', those of which the pants were skin-tight, and the shirt was tight around her breasts.

Here, my shirt fell to around her thighs, her milky skin exposed. It was extremely loose and big on her tiny frame, and I couldn't help but chuckle a bit. Her long hair fell down in waves to her waist – matted with blood, but still framing her face. Tessa's huge, gray eyes were staring intently into mine, and she was biting her lip.

I clenched my fists and looked away, trembling.

**Tessa's POV**

My head throbbed, and the cuts on my arms were starting to scab over. I sincerely hoped the letters would not form a scar. I slipped Will's shirt on, and was momentarily stunned by the intensity of his scent – all spicy and sweet at the same time. I buttoned it up, and it fell to around my knees.

It was at that moment that I wished I was a man – not having to wear all those troublesome skirts, or the high heels, or the corsets and jewelry.

Will turned around, and his bright blue eyes widened. He looked at me intensely from head to toe, and it made me shiver. He clenched his fists and looked away from me, his whole body shaking.

"Will?" I walked toward him, my bare feet quiet on the dusty floor. "Are you alright?"

"I -" his voice caught in his throat. "I can't control myself with you dressed like that, Tess."

He laughed – a dry laugh.

"Oh," I blushed. "Oh."

I suddenly felt naked, and bit my lip harder. I shouldn't have done this. I belong to Jem now – we're to be married...but why do I feel this way with Will?

I hated myself for having feelings towards Will when I was supposed to love Jem. I hated myself for not being able to choose.

"Tess!" Will laughed disbelievingly, breaking me out of my thoughts. "Stop that. It doesn't...it doesn't make it any easier."

I stared at him incredulously. "Stop what?"

"Biting your lip! And making your eyes all big, and your hair..." he broke off with a groan.

I smiled teasingly. "Do you find me attractive, Will Herondale?"

He looked me in the eye, his face serious. "Extremely."

I blinked and blushed, looking down.

Suddenly, he reached out and pulled me to him, crushing me against his warm, strong chest. He still had an under shirt on, for which I was extremely grateful.

"Are you really alright? I was...when I heard you screaming, I was so scared that..." Will trailed off, and his grip on me tightened.

I nodded. "I am. I'll...I'll live. But..."

I broke away from him and looked down at my arm. A hysterical sob escaped my lips, and I clapped my hand over my mouth.

I looked up at Will, a tear running down my cheek.

"It'll go away, right Will? It won't scar, will it?" I whispered.

He looked down at the _Property of TM_ on my arm, his deep blue eyes alive with anger. He shook his head, eyebrows crinkled up.

"Tess...I'm not sure. I don't know if it will. I'm so sorry," he shook his head, and reached a hand up to wipe the tear away.

I took deep, shaking breaths, not wanting to break down and cry in front of him. The only person who's seen me really cry was Nate, and he's gone now.

Will wasn't going to be an exception. I squeezed my eyes shut, shaking my head.

"Hey," Will used a tone so gentle that before now, I hadn't thought it was possible for him. "It's alright to cry, you know, Tess."

"I'm not going to," I say, more to myself than him. "I will not cry."

A loud crashing noise sounded from above us, muffled from the layers of stone.

"Do you think they're alright? Should we go help them?" I asked, eying the door and stepping towards it.

"Oh, no no no." Will took one of my hands and sat me down on the couch. "You – and I – are not going anywhere until those blasted machines from hell leave. I...it's killing me not to help my _parabatai_, but right now, you're more important. You're the one that we need to protect."

I blinked.

"That's the thing, Will. I don't want you guys to get hurt because of me. I...I wouldn't be able to live with myself if one of you died for me. I couldn't..." I trailed off, shaking my head. "I want to learn how to fight. And I don't mean the simple self-defense classes Gabriel is giving me, Will. I want to _really_ learn. Like you and Jem."

I look up at him, and stare intently into his eyes, trying to persuade him, hope shining in my eyes.

But he was already shaking his head.

"Becoming as good of fighters as Jem and I would take years, Tess. Years that we don't have. Plus, we're born Shadowhunters. This...this is in our blood. It comes naturally. I'm afraid that's not how it is in your case," Will said. Then, his blue eyes softened, and he brought a hand up to tuck a curl behind my ear. "Besides...I think Jem and I would both despise the sight of you running into battle. You're just so...fragile. And vulnerable-looking. And small."

I huffed indignantly.

"I am not small or vulnerable or fragile!" I protested, crossing my arms and pouting. "And I could do it – I'm a fast learner."

Will quirked an eyebrow and smirked. "Alright, Tess. Just keep on thinking what you want to think."

I shoved him playfully, and laughter tinged the corners of our lips.

But I would be bringing this up again – whether he liked it or not. I hated being the weak link, having to be protected all day, every day.

Suddenly, something slammed into the door. We both jumped up, staring at it, eyes wide.

There was a dent in it.

It slammed into it again, making the things on the desk in front of the door clatter and fall to the ground, old dusty perfume bottles shattering on the floor.

One of the locks broke off.

"Will!" I shrieked.

"Hurry, grab anything you can find and push it in front of the door. Maybe that'll hold the automatons off long enough for Jem and everybody else to get here." Kind, gentle Will with the warm blue eyes suddenly turned into Shadowhunter Will, with his expressionless mask, his strong arms, and determined set mouth.

I quickly nodded and grabbed pillows, blankets, sheets, and chairs, stacking it in front of the door, which was mangled up and bent.

Will had pulled the heavy stuff, like couches and desks over to the door. We couldn't even see it anymore, but we could still hear the loud, rhythmical banging.

Will and I were in the darkest corner of the room, my back against the wall. He was standing in front of me, shielding my body with his, much to my protest.

He just growled at me to be quiet and grabbed one of my hands, calming me.

The banging got louder, and more things from our pile crashed to the floor. A chair toppled down and broke into splintery pieces.

I could hear the whirring noise of the automatons, and shut my eyes tight, knowing that this noise would never make its way out of my head.

I wondered briefly where the reinforcements were. I wondered briefly if Mortmain was here. I wondered briefly if Jem and Charlotte and Henry were alright. I wondered briefly what would happen to Will and I.

I glanced down at my arm, staring at the letters again.

The door slammed open, and pillows and blankets and chunks of wood flew all around the room as the door was opened – the pile we had made in front of it falling over.

Will pulled me to the ground, covering my body with his.

Once the dust had cleared and everything was quiet, we looked up.

And facing us was row upon row of automatons.

And slung over one of the larger one's shoulders were an unconscious Jem, Charlotte and Henry.

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	3. Change Into Me

_Will pulled me to the ground, covering my body with his._

_Once the dust had cleared and everything was quiet, we looked up._

_And facing us was row upon row of automatons._

_And slung over one of the larger one's shoulders were an unconscious Jem, Charlotte and Henry._

**Tessa's POV**

Will looked at them, and then back down to me. His eyebrows were scrunched together, his blue eyes alert. He was conflicted.

Save Tessa, or get Jem and the others back?

He looked like he had made a decision, because he pulled me up and raised his body in front of mine, backing me into a wall and placing each of his hands back, his fingertips grazing the wall, each of his arms around me.

"Will, stop," I said, pushing him forward. He didn't even budge. "We have to save Jem! And Charlotte! She's pregnant! I can help. I've been training, remember?"

"Please be quiet, Tess," Will growled. His body was practically vibrating with anger and passion. "I...I can't let you go out there and risk your life. Once my back is turned, one of them will just snatch you up and haul you away to the Magister."

"I can fight for myself!" I shouted. "Do you think Charlotte will be happy with you if she has to deliver a dead baby? What about Henry? Him and Charlotte have never been happier with their relationship! And _Jem! _Jem is your brother! We have to get them, _please Will._"

Will whipped his head back to look at me.

Blue, cold as ice, met stormy grey.

"God damn it. Just _stay by my side_, you hear, Tess? You stray away more than three feet, and you're over my shoulder and we're running."

I nodded.

Will's angry face turned gentle, and he pecked me on the lips. "Be safe. Don't do anything rash."

I rolled my eyes. "You too."

Will reluctantly moved from in front of me, and he nodded.

We charged.

The automatons immediately reacted, moving aside so that they made a gap for us to run through. It was so much easier running without all of my skirts weighing me down, Will's shirt light on my skin.

_No wonder the men are such better fighters than women. They didn't have an added 50 pounds from their clothing and jewelry. _

I brought my foot up and kicked an automaton in which should have been its face. The metal hurt my toes, but I ignored the pain shooting up my leg.

One good thing about me was that I was flexible.

Extremely flexible.

That and I was light, and could flip myself up in the air.

I used the force of that kick to lift my body up, and I turned and kicked the back of the same automaton's head, making it crash to the ground.

Will moved so that he wash closer to me, while using an odd black weapon to defeat the Magister's creations.

I twirled around and punched one.

It did nothing.

Guess I wasn't so good at fighting with my strength, which was next to nothing, like Jem and Will were. For a second, I looked at Will's built, hard arms and my pale skinny ones, and laughed at the huge difference.

But the laugh was knocked out of my throat when an automaton kicked me in the back, and another one scraped a long slash in my arm.

Already weak from the blood loss and head injury, I fought back nausea.

"Tess, catch!"

Will, seeing my predicament, tossed me a knife.

I caught it just in time, quickly twirling it in my fingers so that I was holding the hilt, and jabbed it into one of the automaton's joints.

It twitched, sparks shooting out of it.

I quickly took it out and kicked one that was coming behind me.

Will had taken out a lot more than I had, not surprisingly.

Suddenly, I remembered our mission.

I looked around for the automaton holding my family – because they were the only family I've got now – and saw it surrounded by at least a dozen others.

My breathing was already labored, my cheeks flushed, and I needed to throw up.

Then, an automaton pushed me over, and I fell onto my knees with a cry.

I distantly heard Will call my name.

Guess I didn't enforce the 3 feet rule.

With the last strength I had, I rolled onto my back and kicked up with both feet as hard as I could. It stumbled back, but then caught its balance and just started coming forward again.

It ducked down and stuck a knife into the ground, an inch from my arm.

I screamed and rolled to the left.

Then Will materialized out of nowhere and punched it in the face, and attacked it with the odd black weapon.

But while he was distracted with that one, another one came up and pulled me up by my hair, and hit me hard in the face.

And I said a word that a lady should never, ever say.

Will glanced back, and for a second we locked eyes.

His were desperate but determined.

Mine, I'm sure, just looked desperate.

He mouthed something to me.

_Change_.

I threw a confused expression at him, raising an eyebrow.

I don't think this would be the time for me to run across the room and go put on my skirts.

The automaton threw me back against the rubble, and a sharp piece tore into my stomach.

I cried out again, and I heard Will growing even more desperate with his punches.

Automatons around him were falling quickly, and for a moment I felt a hint of pride bubble up within me. Suddenly, I knew what Will meant.

Change.

I was wearing Will's shirt – I could change into him.

I immediately did it, closing my eyes and feeling the familiar, almost comforting, feeling of the Change. I grew taller, more muscular. My hair got shorter, and the shirt suddenly fit me.

I thanked god that I was wearing my loose undershorts.

I felt a lot more powerful, a lot more capable.

I took out four automatons in the time it would've taken my body to take down half of one.

Will looked a bit disturbed by his twin across the room, but was a lot more comforted knowing that I was stronger now, therefore safer.

I quickly got to the automaton carrying Jem – they had separated Jem, Charlotte and Henry, each were on a different automaton now – and grabbed his unconscious body after knocking that automaton down.

In Will's body, carrying Jem was only a little struggle.

No wonder Will was always calling me a midget. He could probably be carrying me and not even notice my weight. I gentle set Jem down next to my skirts, where none of the fighting was going on.

More Shadowhunters had arrived, to which I heaved a great sigh. Some of them did a double take at the two Wills in the room, but we just waved off their questioning glances.

With back ups' help, the adrenaline slowly faded away and I changed back into Tessa. Coughs racked my body, and blood fell onto my hand covering my mouth.

Will ran over to me with Charlotte in his arms, setting her down with Jem.

"Why aren't they waking up? What's wrong with them?" I gagged out.

Will looked at me, concern in his eyes. He muttered something about a knock-out potion that lasted for around five hours, and started rubbing my back.

"I think," I gasped. I felt something in the back of my throat. "I think I'm gonna throw up."

"It's alright, Tess. Just...let it out."

I meant to chuckle at his choice of words, but then I quickly spun away from him and Charlotte and Jem and threw up.

Tears squeezed out of my shut eyes and I coughed a little more.

"That was gross," I said weakly, once I was done.

Will pulled me over. "Are you alright?"

I vaguely heard a loud shout, someone calling Henry's name.

But black dots were swimming in my vision, and I couldn't stop coughing.

Everyone's voices, the stomping of the automatons, the sound of metal against metal pounded around in my head.

Even Will's silky voice was obnoxiously loud.

He was calling my name, the way only he calls me 'Tess'.

I wanted to reach up to him, touch his face and pull his sweaty hair back from his eyes, but I couldn't even lift my eyelids anymore.

Everything just hurt so much.

The scrape on my arm, my stomach, my head, my foot, even my face.

I heard Will begging me to stay awake, but I didn't want to anymore.

I stopped fighting, and let go.


	4. Some Things Won't Change

_Everything just hurt so much._

_The scrape on my arm, my stomach, my head, my foot, even my face._

_I heard Will begging me to stay awake, but I didn't want to anymore._

_I stopped fighting, and let go._

**Tessa's POV**

Pulse.

Pulsing.

Pulsing, pulsing, everything was pulsing. My heart was pulsing and my head was pounding and my fingers were throbbing and I could barely breathe. The dark layer of unconsciousness kept pushing against me, smothering me. I pushed back, trying to go to the free light, light would let me breathe.

The darkness pushed back, even harder now. A sound escaped my throat, and I felt light finally catch my arm and pull me towards it. Oxygen came to me in a big burst of air, painfully filling my lungs. My eyes opened and I sucked in air, coughing as I did so.

"Tess!" I heard Will's voice to my right, but I didn't turn my head to look at him. I felt his hand on the back of my head, helping me sit up so I could breathe better.

"Tessa?" It was Jem now. I felt his cool hand go to my cheek, and I looked up to his pair of silver eyes, clouded with concern. "Are you alright?"

I just moaned and closed my eyes, trying to push back the pounding of my head. Everything was slightly blurry and their voices sounded oddly far away. I noticed that I was still in Will's shirt – one of them must have carried me to the infirmary right after the battle.

"Brother Enoch," Will greeted. The Silent Brother quietly floated into the room.

_May I look at you? To see how many injuries you have, Ms. Gray? _

I nodded, and Jem's hand left my cheek, the cold air rushing upon it again. Brother Enoch slowly lifted his hand up and placed it on my head, and I felt him rifling through my memories and bones. I remember when I first appeared at the institute – I was so afraid of the Silent Brothers. But I knew now that they only wanted to help, to help us heal from our battles.

_It seems that you have a broken rib, and various bruises and cuts. The cuts and bruises will heal in time, so just be patient and rest well. Your headache will go away soon. _

"Thank you," I smiled up at him.

He bowed his head and silently made his way from the room, the only sound following him the click of the door.

"How do you feel?" Jem asked in a soft voice. Panic and worry clouded his silver eyes, turning them a stormy grey color, almost like mine.

"I..." I reached up, and placed my sweaty palm on my hot forehead. "I feel quite faint, actually." I studied Jem and Will's, bodies, their faces healthy and undamaged. I blinked.

"How long has it been since the fight?"

"Only one day, Tess," Will reassured me.

"Then how are you two completely healed?" I exclaimed.

"We use runes, remember? With our steels," Will flicked his out from his weapon belt and glinted it in the light. My eyes fell to the dark symbols tracing his body, and was momentarily distracted by the way the lines wound around his strong arms and disappeared under his shirt, tiny bits peeking out at the neck. I could practically feel Will's smirk as I forcefully averted my gaze, looking down at my hands instead. I remember the way he touched me, the way his shirt fit on my small form, the way he's so protective in a way only he could be. My name sliding from his lips like honey, the way he calls me 'Tess'.

A sharp pang hit my heart as my eyes went over to Jem, his features delicate and graceful, his eyes open and caring. I bit my lip and clenched my eyes shut.

_Stop it. You are betrothed to Jem. You love him, you love him! _

_But you love Will, too. _

My fingers spasmed and I clenched the sheet pooling at my lap to get them from shaking.

"Tess...? Are you alright? I mean..."

"I...I'm afraid I'm feeling quite faint, Will. Jem. If you would go, please."

Shock and hurt crossed both of their faces at the same time, and they both stood.

"Of course. Feel better, Tess." Will reached out as if to touch my face, but then jerked back and swiftly straightened, his face composing into a cool mask. He nodded to me and Jem, and turned on his heel, his Shadowhunter boots hitting the ground with sharp _clicks, _matching the one to the door as he closed it behind him with a firm pull.

Jem and I watched him go, and when he left we were left in a slightly tense silence.

His eyebrows crinkled. "Do feel better, alright Tessa? Will you come down for dinner today? Would you like me to drop by and walk you?"

I smiled gently at him and reached my hand out towards him. He took it and stepped closer, leaning down to press a soft kiss on my forehead, his spicy-sweet scent enveloping me and making my heart beat faster. So much like the way it does with Will. A blush creeped up my neck and onto my cheek as he kissed my cheek afterwards, and leaned his forehead on mine, opening his eyes.

"I'm so glad you're alright. If...if anything happened to you, Tessa, I...God, I don't know what I would've done. The thought of you hurt just...it physically hurts my heart. I couldn't stand it. Sitting here waiting for you to wake up...I was so scared that you wouldn't..." He squeezed his eyes tight, and his voice caught in his throat.

I reached up, my fingers still shaking, and placed a hand on either side of Jem's cheeks. His skin was stretched tight over his bones, his cheekbones high and prominent. His face was cool under my sweaty hands, and I traced my thumbs over the bags under his eyes.

"How have you been lately? Any more...fits?"

Jem quickly shook his head. I raised an eyebrow.

"James," I warned. "Do not lie to me."

He bit his lip, pale pink turning white under the pressure. "Only one. After the attack."

Rage and desperation clawed at my head, and I pulled him down, hugging his neck. "We will find a cure, you hear me James? _We will find a cure for you_."

Jem smiled sadly, but didn't answer. I tightened my grip on him. "Don't you believe me, Jem? Don't you want us to find a cure so you could be with me forever?"

A voice in the back of my mind chanted Will's name over and over again, but I shoved it away forcefully. Jem's eyes opened then, a fierce fire blazing behind his pupils.

"Of course! God...of course. What I wouldn't give to spend the rest of my _long _life with you, Tessa...I love you. But some things are just...some things can't be fixed. No matter how much you try, some things just can't be fixed." His statement ended in a whisper, and he was shaking his head back and forth, forehead still against mine, my arms still wound around his neck.

"Well, Jem?"

"Hmm?"

"This isn't one them."

**I hope you guys are still here! I'm really sorry for the wait, but I am _extremely _thankful for the reviews! You guys are the best. This chapter was a filler chapter – some Tessa and Jem fluff going on here. I hope you guys liked it? And you Will fans please don't kill me? :]P **

**Please review – it would mean the world to me, and I shall talk to you guys soon. [; **


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